Cory and Shawn
Cory and Shawn is the best friends pairing of Cory Matthews and Shawn Hunter. Their friendship was an important element of Boy Meets World, and continues into Girl Meets World. They are portrayed by Ben Savage and Rider Strong. History Prior to and during Boy Meets World Cory Matthews first met Shawn Hunter while on a field trip to the Philadelphia City Zoo during kindergarten. When Shawn asked Cory to eat lunch with him, Cory refused, saying that the other kids ridiculed Shawn for living in a trailer park. A few minutes later, Cory fell into the llama pen, and while everyone else ran away when Topanga called for help, Shawn quickly sprung into action. He braved the habitat and brought Cory out. Realizing that his so-called friends has deserted him, Cory agreed to have lunch with Shawn, and they started their lifelong friendship with an extended hug, despite Topanga's admonition to "Stop it! You're Boys!" Their friendship endured countless educational dilemmas throughout their time attending Jefferson Elementary School, John Adams High School and Pennbrooke University, as well as more serious personal crises that occurred due to Shawn's rather turbulent family life, and tendencies towards troublemaking. When Cory and Topanga's romance fully blossomed into marriage, Shawn reluctantly had to admit that he could no longer be Cory's best friend, and ceded the position to Topanga. When Cory and Topanga chose to move to New York City, an understanding Shawn was heartbroken, but Topanga unilaterally decreed that he was coming too, much to both Cory and Shawn's surprised delight. Shawn left New York City about 2 years later, on the day Cory and Topanga's daughter, Riley , was born, for a career of writing while travelling for a website called "Hit The Road." Girl Meets World Season 1 Girl Meets Home for the Holidays Above and beyond the excitement Cory has been experiencing, due to his family hosting the Matthews holiday season for the very first time, is his feeling of anticipation for the planned reunion with his long-absent best friend, Shawn Hunter, returning to New York City. Despite Cory's genuine appreciation for the presence of the rest of the guests, upon their arrivals, starting with Riley's best friend, Maya, (who is skeptical of the very existence of an "Uncle" Shawn Hunter) his parents, Alan and Amy Matthews, and his younger brother, Josh, the host does not hide the tone of obvious disappointment in his voice, as Shawn fails to make an appearance. Preoccupied with small talk and party snacks, with the rest of the Matthews men, Cory does not notice Shawn strolling through the apartment door. Signalling the females of the room to silence, Shawn makes his way to the couch, and after sitting down, acts surprised that Cory isn't happier to see him. Overjoyed, the two embrace (nearly smothering Auggie in the process) as Cory proclaims to Maya that he told her Shawn was real. Topanga and Shawn call each other "Mrs. Cory" and "Mr. Cory," while Cory, himself, seems giddy to have his "favorite person in the world," and his wife together. Topanga notes the backhanded compliment with a long-suffering sigh of "My whole life." Shawn warmly greets the rest of the Matthews, but when Riley steps up, Shawn only acknowledges her (and presumably Auggie, as well) with a few paltry words, before slipping away to catch up with Cory. As they talk, Cory states that the above apartment is for rent, hinting that it would be an ideal time for Shawn to move back to New York City. But Shawn points out that they are not on a TV show, and he has no desire to be the Matthews wacky neighbor. Still, the premise is enough for the pair to devise a theme song for "The Cory and Shawn Show," which they perform for their own entertainment. They are then confronted by Maya and Riley, who challenge them to discover just which pair have the strongest friendship. Despite an impressive display by the girls, Shawn and Cory do not concede the contest. Maya then informs Shawn that his years of apparent indifference towards Riley have hurt her, and Maya needs him to know that. Flustered, Shawn denies ever intending to hurt Riley, however, he admits Riley and Maya's bond just might be comparable to the one he and Cory share. Just before dinner, Maya again accosts a sleepy Shawn, and Riley asks him to identify her birthday. Cory assures his daughter that Shawn does know, but further interrogation is put off by dinner. Five minutes later, when much to the hostess, Topanga's, chagrin, the entire meal has been consumed, the girls resume their questioning of Shawn. Having had enough, Shawn rises from the dinner table and begins walking towards the door. Halfway there, he calls out to Riley whether or not she is coming too. Some time later, Riley and Shawn return, and she commands her father and his best friend to go to her room. After offering a modicum of protest, the two reluctantly heed Riley's order, but Cory comments that the situation would never happen on "The Cory and Shawn Show." After the pair have settled into the bay window of her room, Riley instructs Shawn to tell her father why he really left New York City. Shawn admits to feeling out of place with Cory and Topanga's new roles in raising a family, and as an opportune message delivery by Auggie riding upon Josh's shoulders, aptly indicates, the role of the "Cool Uncle" had already been filled. Shawn gets the shock of his life as Farkle briefly stops by at the window, and identifies himself as a Minkus. The revelation that even his old elementary school nemesis, Stuart Minkus, has started a family shakes Shawn to his core. He confesses that Riley had been correct in stating that every time Shawn saw her, he was reminded of the things he didn't have in his life. Having already claimed his life didn't really start until Riley was born, Cory advises his best friend Shawn to "Find someone. Begin your life." Thereupon Riley dismisses her father, and opening the window, literally pulls Maya off guard duty into the room, and instructs her to ask Shawn about his life. Guiding her father out, he asks what's going on, and Riley simply tells him to look at their best friends sitting together. Cory is able to discern Riley's plan, and dubs her the new "King of Schemes." Later, after the gifts have been given out, Shawn, now aware of how poorly he has been treating the children of his best friends, seems prepared to start rectifying his unintentional neglect, offers to take Riley and Auggie to his next "Hit The Road" assignment in upstate New York. Auggie is excited and eager, but Riley appears hesitant until Maya is also invited. Maya, who has begun forming a bond with Shawn, herself, agrees. Later at Svorski's Bakery, Shawn and Maya join the Matthews for some baked treats. Shawn gives Riley a digital camera, and she snaps a family picture capturing the Matthews family and their best friends. Girl Meets Master Plan Similarities and differences Similarities *Both are males. *Both love sports, particularly baseball and basketball. *Both tended to tease Stuart Minkus. *Both are loyal and supportive of their friends. *Both attended Jefferson Elementary, John Adams High, and Pennbrooke University. *Both consider George Feeny as a mentor. *Both would tend to sleep during classes. *Both created the Cory and Shawn show. Differences *Cory had a stable family life, Shawn did not. *Cory tended to stick with the status quo, Shawn was a rebel. *The Matthews were affluent, The Hunters were poor. *Cory generally acted neurotic, Shawn always displayed an easy confidence. *Cory has a twisted need to fix things, while Shawn leaves things be. *Cory has kids, Shawn does not. * Cory dated very few girls, and only had one steady girlfriend (Topanga), Shawn had a lot (Cory once said he was the man of 1000 dates), including Angela. Trivia *The day first grade began, Shawn unwittingly predicted the future, and told Mr. Feeny that Cory and Topanga should get married. *Cory and Shawn used to sword fight to win the favor of "Queen" Topanga. *Shawn and his family once lived in a house only two blocks away from the Matthews, before financial difficulties would lead the Hunters back to the trailer park. *They maintained a friendly rivalry with Stuart Minkus. *Did not want to get married because then "their kids would look like horses." *Shawn named his pet pig "Little Cory," after his best friend. *They once appeared in an episode of Maybe This Time, another show by Michael Jacobs, (to watch click here ) in which, while discussing Shawn's trepidations over setting both the gym and cafeteria of John Adams High ablaze, Cory and Shawn meta-interacted with the main young female lead, Gracie, across her television set. Later they are called back to their own show by the voice of Mr. Feeny. *Once collaborated in a groundbreaking article "Chick Like Me" for the John Adams High school paper and in the same episode both dressing as girls. *For unknown reasons, sharing cake at the Paramus Mall was a very intimate significant moment in Cory and Shawn's friendship. *They shared a dorm room at Pennbrooke, until Cory got married to Topanga. *Topanga has stated that Shawn loves Cory more than she does. *They are the only two characters to appear in all 158 episodes of Boy Meets World. *They've both had dreams where they murder their closest friends, and leave Cory and Topanga alive. Cory's dream was in The Psychotic Episode and Shawn's was in And Then There Was Shawn. *Riley acts like Cory,Maya acts like Shawn. *According to Topanga, Cory and Shawn's "first date" was by the llama pen. **This is a reference to the story of their first meeting which is told in a flashback during the Boy Meets World episode - It's Not You... It's Me: A young Shawn invites a young Cory to go to lunch with them while they visit the zoo. Cory declines Shawn's request, because some kids told him that they shouldn't be friends because Shawn lives in a trailer park. Cory goes away, and tries to impress Topanga by clowning around near the llama pen. When he falls in, Shawn rushes to his rescue and they become friends. *Cory mentioned that Shawn gave him their first friendship ring when he was 25, but Topanga doesn't let him wear it. Girl Meets Master Plan *Topanga refers to Shawn as Mr. Cory. 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